Apparatus for developing photographic films



May 11, 1943. E- FEss 2,318,695

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTO-GRAPHIC F'ILMS I I Filed July 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet By His y/ May 11, 1943. E. :F Ss l 2,318,605

APRARA TUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS Filed July 6-, 1959 2 Shets-Sh'eeti Inventor Emil Fess Patented May 1 1, 1943 APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPH) FILMS Emil Fess, Dessau, Germany, assignor, by mesne assignments, to GeneralAniline a Film Corpo- "ration,

ware

New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaf In Germany July 7,1938

. Application July 6, 1959, Serial No. 283,015 r 4 Claims. lci. ail-2m My present invention relates to an apparatus for developing photographic films which comprises a container for liquid, roller frames'and driving mechanism. The use of frames for supporting the axles of the rollers hasthe advantage that the apparatus, can be loaded with the film by removing the frames and winding the film upon them in a simple manner as if they were fixed developing frames. The dlmensionsof the' frames are preferably such that they can be removed from the container without the aid of any special expedient. driving the rollers; this axle can be coupled with the driving mechanism in such 'a manner that the drive is automatically transmitted through the axle on insertion of the frame into the container and is uncoupled automatically on removal of the frame. Two diflerent kinds of frames are provided for the developing apparatus; those inwhich the length of the loop of film is variable and those in which it is invariable. The two frameshave the same breadth sothat they can readily be exchanged for one another.

One object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for developing films in which the {rollers carrying the loops of film are not fastonthe driven shaft mounted in the frame, but are capable of slipping on the shaft when their peripheries are subject to suflicient friction.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of rollers carrying the loops offilm and having a diameter which is somewhat greater than that of the pitch circle of the toothed rollers which drive the film, so that the slip between 'the driven shaft and the rollers is compensated and the rollers continuouslytransport the film.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent more in detail hereinafter.

Reierence is made to the accompanying draw ings, in which The frame carries an axle for Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roller frame in which the length of loop is invariable;

' Figures 2 and 3 are like views of roller frames in which the length of loop is variable;

Figure 4 is a like view of the container for the liquid with tubes carrying spraying neszles, one

ofthe sides of container having been removed. i

and

Figure 5 is a section through an exchangeable spraying nozzle tube. V e

The frames are made for instance of artificial material and comprise sides 3 and Q held together by strips II and II (Figure 1). At the upper end of the frame a shaft l is journalled in the side 3. The shaft is coupled by a'pulley 2 with driving apparatus not shown in thedrawings and carries between the sides and l a toothed roller 6 for-driving the film. 'A: gear wheel} fixed on the shaft l drives a gear wheel Sand therewith a shaft-9 through a pinion I. .Film.

guide rollers iii are mounted on theshaft 9 so as to be capable of rotating therewith notwithstanding a small amount of friction at their peripheries. At the lower end of the frame-the sides have slotted: bearings I! for a shaft ii on which are mountedguiderollers H in sucha manner that they are turned by friction by the shaft 13; th'e'latter canslide vertically for a shortdistance in the slotted. bearings. .At the upper end of the side 4 is a further guide roller 15.

T The diameter of the guide rollersrll is greater by a small percentage than that of the pitch circle of the toothed drum 5, so that the slip between the'shaft 8 and the rollers lil is compensated and the rollers advance the film continuously. .1 -f

Instead of the frame shown in Figure 1 in which the length of film which can be treated. on

the frame cannot be' varied, there may be used the frame shown in Figures '2 and 3, which allow the length ofloop to be varied during use.

*In Figures 2 and '3 the strip i l',.is placed ata higher level in the frame than is the'case in Figure 1 so as to allow extended slots l5, IS in the sides land l.- Racks 11; i1. are fixed beside these slots for engagementof pinions l8, l8 'on' the end of shaft l3 whereby the latter is com;

pelled to move only parallel to' the shaft 0; "The upper part of the frame is:constructed in the same way as that shown in Figure '1.

In'order to alter the length-of a given time a greater or smaller length of film should pass on to the frame than passes oil". according to whether an increase or ag-decreasein the length of film being wound upis required: In the apparatus known hitherto in which the rollers are fixed on the driven shaft or shafts;

or in which the rollers are not. driven at all but can rotate individually, thereis produced at each variation in the length of the loop offilm atenwhich'is not uniformly distributed in the individuallengthsof film... I l In the apparatus according to the invention, the drive of the driven roller shaft must vary in dependence on whether the'lengthof 1mm wound on the frame is increased or diminished.

- Figure 3 shows-a frame on which is 'a'loop of.

film of varyinglength, the parts not necessary sion.

for understandingthe figure having been omitted.

frame shown in Figure 2 itis necessary :that in the roller shaft is driven with the velocity of the faster moving toothed roller shaft. or 22. j

Thus when the length of film is being shortened, the shaft 22 runs more quickly. than the shaft 20, and the shaft 8 turns at the same speed as the shaft 22. When the length of him .isbeing iii-.

creased, however, the shaft 9 isvdriven at the same speed as the shaft 20. 'I'he'tension of the by the weight of the lower shaft ll andv rollers tact'with the guide rollers makes it possible to provide in a simple manner devices for avoiding streaky development. It is known'to spray the developer in' air orunder the surface of the liquid in order to supply the film uniformly with unused developer. Another known expedient is to pump the liquid continuously round the container in order thoroughly to mix the contents. The quantity of liquid which can be sprayed is limited firstly because the individual sprays, in order to avoid damaging the emulsion or too rapid development, must not be too strong, sec-.

ondly itis inadvisable to increase the number of sprays and reducethe size of the nozzles to too great anextent as otherwise the nozzles easily become blocked.

Both these difficulties are avoided by th m vention by providing the nozzles; in the form of;

Y a The method of winding described, in which theemulsion side of the film never comes into contubes which can turn on their axes and whichif-f' can readily be removed from'the container for cleaning, without the necessity of emptying the container. I I

Referring to Figures 4 and 5,.the pipe 24 for supplying developer is connected by one or more pipes 25, 25' to a wall 26 of the container 21.

For the sake of clarity the-front wall has been omitted from Figure 4. The pipe 25 1s fixed in the wall 26 for instance by a screw thread It.

' s The nozzle tube 23 is stopped at one end by a plug 3i: while the other end has a. recess in which packingflis inserted. Thewall 21 has a recess 32 the bottom of which provides a stop for the nozzle tube 28. The latter canthus be readily removed and replaced but remains firmly in the po-' sition shown in Figures 4 and 5, because the packing 22 presses the tube against the wall 21. The tube can be rotated on its axis, so that nozzlescan be brought into the most advantageous orientation for spraying. V

Iclaim:

1. In an apparatus for developing photographic films, a driving mechanism having a frame, a driven shaft carried by said frame, a toothed roller for driving said film and connected with said driven shaft for rotation at the same angular velocity as that of saidfshaft, an idler shaft also carried by said frame and spaced from said driven shaft, said frame having slots in which said idler shaft is movable towards and 'away from said driven shaft, pinions fastened to the ends of saididler shaft and racks mounted a on said frameadjacent said slots, said racks being engaged by said pinions and maintaining said idler shaftj parallelto said driven shaft regardlessof movement of said idler shaft towards Y and away from said driven shaft, each of said and guide rollers and to equalize the shafts carrying rollers for guiding the film around said shafts, the guide rollers on said driven shaft being mounted thereon for rotation therewith until there is a certain amount of friction on their peripheries, said guide rollers having a diameter slightly greater than that of the pitch circle of said toothed roller to compensate for slippage between said driven shaft and guide rollers and to equalize the tension in said film.

2. In an; apparatus for; developing photographic films, a driving mechanism having a frame, ,a driven shaft carried by said frame, a toothedfeed roller for supplying film to said driven shaft, la second t oothed roller for removing film from'said-driv "h ft, at ieast one' of said rollers being drivenat jed equalto that of the driven shaft' '"anxl" neitheri toothed} roller being driven at a speed greater than saiddriv'en shaft, an idler shaft :also' xcai-rled-by said frame and spaced from said driven shaft, said. frame having slots in which said idler shaft is movable towards and away from said driven. shaft, pinions fastenedflto the ends of saididlershaft and racks mounted on said frame adjacent said slots, said. racks being engaged by saidjplnions and maintaining said idler shaft parallel to said driven shaft regardless of movement'of said idler shafttowards and away from said driven shaft,

each of said shafts'carrying rollers forguiding the film aroun'dsald. shafts, the guide rollers on said driven -shaft being mounted thereon for rotation. therewith until there is a certain amount of friction on their peripheries, said guide rollers having a diameter-slightly greater than thatof the pitchicircle' of said 'toothed rollers to compensate for slippage "between said driven shaft 'sion'in said graphic films, a driving mechanisrnflhaving-a frame, a driven shaft carried by said iframe; a

toothed roller for driving said film and connected with said driven shaft for rotation atthe same angular velocity as that of said shaft, an idler.

wound between said shafts is determined largely by theweight of saididler shaft, each of said shafts carrying rollers for guiding the'fllm around said shafts, the guide rollers on said driven shaft graphic films, a driving mechanism having a 3. In an apparatus for developing-photo "beingmounted thereon for rotation therewith, until there is a certain amount of friction on frame, a driven shaft carried by said frame, a

toothed roller for driving said film, and connected with said driven shaft for rotation at the same angular velocity as that of said shaft, an idler shaft also carried bysaid frame and spaced from said driven shaft, said idler shaft being movable towards and awayfrom said driven shaft, interengaging means on said frame and idler shaft for maintainingsaid idler shaft parallel said guide. rollers having a diameter slightly greater than that of the pitch circle or said toothed roller to compensate for slippage between said driven shaft and guide rollers and to equalize 5 the tension in said mm.

EMIL FESS. 

